Sunday, August 31, 2008

It's Getting Dark


Here's a picture taken in Castlebar in the West Of Ireland. It was elegant in it's simplicity.
I don't know why I always find myself blogging on a Sunday evening these days. Autumn is definitely in the air and the evenings are closing in. I don't like the dark nights and part of me closes in with them.


I spent the last couple of days in Castlebar on the occasion of one of my best friends Mum's funeral. David's Mum Mary was only 56 and died of cancer. The funeral was a peaceful tribute to a loving and vibrant woman, who I am sorry I never got to meet. She died in the gentle care of her family at home. Her long journey over, and the grief journey of her family continues. It has been a difficult time for them and a reflection of their love was seen in their care of her. Heavenly Father, grant them peace in their time of distress.


I realise that with the change in the evening light, the Summer draws to a close and with it the list that I set myself to do. It has, on reflection, been more of a wish list than a list of achieveables. I did inded get to IKEA and Jonathan now has more storage but less floor space in his room. I did manage to get the alarm serviced, the NTL TV cable fixed (an achievement in anyone's books), read a few books, fill the oil tank and do a little disseratation research. I even managed to get an overgrown toddler to tidy his room and clear out some space ( well have you ever tried to get a parent to stop hoarding and get rid of stuff they are unlikely to ever use? Every time my back was turned, Dad was trying to hide stuff to keep!!!!!!)


Mum remains in hospital but us improving steadily. She will stay there for another 3-4 weeks and is then for review. We are trying to get things in order to allow her to return home rather than into long term care but the Health Board mantra of "we have no budget available" is getting somewhat tedious. Dad is determined to care for her at home and despite all the beaurocracy it looks like this will be possible.


I recommend a great book I am reading at the moment. Jodi Picoult -My Sister's Keeper is another challenging medical ethic book. I think I already recommended Change of Heart by the same author. My Sister's Keeper is about a young girl who was conceived to facilitate her sister's recovery from leukaemia as a stem cell donor. She is tired of providing a spare parts service and sues her parents for the right to say no (i.e medical emancipation) to and further decisions to use her as a donor despite the fact that she is aware they are now looking to remove one of her kidneys to attempt to prolong her sister's life. It is extremely well written and explores an aspect of modern sibling donation I had not considered. If you want to borrow it, let me know.


That's about it. Jonathan's Junior Cert rersults are out on the 10th, I don't know who is bracing themselves more, me or him. Jess is off at Electric picnic, the last festival of the Summer and she starts back to college on the 15th and me the week after. Where did all the Summer go?????

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